Abstract

A ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Halbig v. Burwell is imminent. The plaintiff claims a phrase in the ACA prohibits residents of states where the federal government is administering the health insurance Marketplace from receiving subsidies for purchasing insurance. With 34 states having chosen to leave administration of their Marketplaces to the federal government, a decision for the plaintiff could have broad implications. In 2016, 7.3 million people in these states are estimated to receive federal subsidies totaling $36.1 billion, ranging up to $4.8 billion in Florida and $5.6 billion in Texas.